Conflict brings particular challenges for those in leadership, as they face calls to implement change while managing tense relationships, all of which comes at a personal cost.

Transforming Conflict 2: Building Resilient Leadership is a new, advanced, course designed for those who have begun to implement the learning of the foundation course Transforming Church Conflict or Transforming Conflict 1 and are looking for encouragement to:

Develop greater resilience in leading times of change or tension

Reflect with others on practical peacemaking in the context of a learning, worshipping community

Build on theological principles to encourage a constructive culture around change and conflict

Further develop a commitment as a leader to living well with difference as an act of witness

This three-day residential course weaves together the learning of the foundation course with contextual experience brought by the participants from their church and other Christian settings, to explore what it means to be a resilient leader in the face of conflict. Acknowledging that change is often a disorienting experience for individuals and communities, the course explores the skills, self-awareness, and theological grounding needed to lead intentionally and live faithfully as ministers of reconciliation in practice. We recommend that to gain full benefit from this course, a period of at least 18 months should be left between attending Transforming Church Conflictor Transforming Conflict 1 and this course.

Transforming Conflict 2: Building Resilient Leadership draws on Bridge Builders courses of leading similar training since 1996, and our commitment to peace-making.

The course includes teaching, group work and guided practice. Active and practical in focus, the sessions provide hands-on skills training and use role-plays based on the kinds of conflicts encountered in the church. Each day includes times of prayer and worship. The course is intensive and includes some evening sessions; we strongly recommend avoiding any other commitments during the course.

Course Objectives

To increase your resilience as a leader facing conflict, so that you become clearer about your own responses to conflict, more self-aware in making choices in tense situations, and more confident in showing leadership through times of change.

To deepen a sense of commitment to leading through conflict, tension and change in ways that place reconciliation at the heart of discipleship for a Christian community.

To reinforce and develop practical skills and strategies for working through times of tension as a leader, so that you can engage with change and conflict with greater confidence,and develop greater awareness and confidence in the communities of which you are part.

Course Outcomes

By the end of the course we expect that you will have:

Developed greater awareness about your own working style and how to inhabit it in constructive ways

Explored a Biblical framework for leading through change

Developed further skills in communicating clearly and consistently in times of tension

Enhanced your skills for working with resistance in groups and individuals

Reflected on theological concepts of forgiveness, grace and reconciliation and what they might look like in practice in a Christian community

Learnt ways of working with challenging behaviour

Developed your ability to analyse the relationships and power dynamics of conflict

Explored the impact of culture on communities and considered ways to bring about change in culture

Reflected on self care and what you need to build resilience in leadership

Presenters

The course will be led by Liz Griffiths Rupert Ward and Sandra Cobbin.

Liz Griffiths is Director of Training for Bridge Builders. She is an Anglican Priest and has a broad experience of both parish ministry and adult education. Liz has worked in city centre and urban estate parishes, and as Vice-Principal of the Eastern Region Ministry Course, helping to train ordained and lay ministers.

Rupert Ward leads a church in the centre of Edinburgh and has experience of training leadership groups in other churches and charities. He is a member of the International Association of Facilitators and has also trained in Counselling and Theology.

Sandra Cobbin is an independent trainer and consultant. She works with business and church leaders on management and leadership skills.

Course Timings

Meals and Accommodation

The course is residential, with single room accommodation provided from Tuesday evening to Thursday morning, and with meals provided each day from Tuesday lunch until Thursday lunch, of breakfast, lunch and evening meal at Felden Lodge Conference Centre, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. The centre is set in 32 acres of grounds and is close to road and rail links.

Cost and Application

The full fee is £605.
Early bird rate £555 if booked by 26 March 2019.
A training manual is included in the fee.

Bursaries: if you are on a low income, a bursary may be available to help cover the cost of attending. Please see the bursary information page.

Spaces are limited to a maximum of 23, so do apply early, as our courses are regularly over-subscribed.

Booking and Cancellation

To apply, add a ticket to your cart below below. Applications remain provisional until Bridge Builders has received a deposit of £100. The balance of the fee is due eight weeks before the start of the course (i.e. by 23 April 2019). Once accepted, the £100 deposit is non-refundable. The full fee is owed if a place is cancelled within eight weeks of the course start date (i.e. from 23 April 2019 onwards). Please see our terms and conditions and data protection policy.

If no more places are available and you would like to be added to a waiting list, please contact us on 020 3968 4999 or email lisa@bbministries.org.uk.

Please note: If a third party (eg. Diocese) is paying for your ticket, please book using your own name and contact details. Select direct bank transfer as the payment option and you will receive an order confirmation containing bank details. You can either pay directly, or forward the order confirmation to the third party for payment.

If you experience any difficulty logging into our website, please contact us on 020 3968 4999.